Wednesday, 22 April 2015

Prof. Pat Utomi: 37 Mobile Cancer Clinics Challenge

At a press briefing organised by the Nigerian Stock Exchange in collaboration with CECP (Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy in Nigeria), Prof. Pat Utomi, called on corporate bodies and philanthropists to donate funds towards the provision of 37 Mobile Cancer Screening Clinic in every state of the country.
Utomi raised the alarm over the increasing number of Nigerians dying of cancer. He lamented the fact that Nigeria did not have facilities that were needed for early detection of cancer and blamed this for poor cancer survival rates in the country.

He noted that the country was losing huge revenue to India each year due to the increasing number of Nigerians travelling for cancer surgery and treatment.

Utomi said,“ I know someone, who travelled on Wednesday to India for cancer–related surgery. The amount of revenue we are losing to India, the United States and the United Kingdom on medical tourism due to increasing cases of cancer alone. Most times these people still die because the cases are detected late such that even doctors abroad cannot perform any miracle.

“Many establishments have lost their founder, top directors to cancer in the last one year. Now is the time for corporate organisations to pull resources together to enable us to get a mobile screening centre to each state for early detection.”

Head, NSE Corporate Communications, Mr. Bola Adeeko, said as part of efforts to raise the funds to procure the Mobile Cancer Clinics, the NSE had inaugurated the Corporate Challenge Initiative to encourage companies, listed on the stock exchange, to adopt cancer care as part of their corporate social responsibility.